Peanut picker



Nov. 21, 1933. TQM." LlLLlsToN PEANUT `PICKER Filed uefa. 25, 1930 4 Sheet's-'Sheet 1 INVENTOR Manuf/Mi z/Zzfzw n, EY w i ATTORNEYS .v kvm M.

Nov. 21, 1933. T, M L|LL|$TON I 1,935,803

P'EANUT PICKER Filed Dec. 23, 1930 4 Sheets-Shea?I 2 INVENTOR im ATTORNEYS *PEANUT PICKER 2,Filed Dec. 23, 1930: 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 r' ly' l f8 67 7 5.9 4;/ f,

INVENTOR BY WJ; MM /Cwa ATTORNEYS Patented Now 21, 1933 PATENT OFFICE UNITED STATES PEANUTI PIUKER Application December 23, 1930 Serial No. 504,233

7 Claims. (Cl. 130-30)l The present invention relates to agricultural machinery and more especially to a peanut picker.

One of the problems heretofore encountered in peanut pickers has been the uniform feeding the vines through the picker.

The present invention overcomesthis problem by comprising a construction wherein the feeda ing is automatic in that after the vines are placed on the machine they are pulled through. the ma-u chine in the proper volume for the machine to do the proper work.

Another problem in connection with the pickl ing of the peanuts from the vines is the separation of the fine earth, which usually adheres to the peanuts and vines, from the peanuts and vines as they pass through the picker. It is particularly desirable that the dust and dirt beseparated from the vines in view of the fact that the vines are usually used for stock feed after the peanuts have been picked olf.

Another feature of the present invention is means for removing the vines from the end of the picker chain in such manner so that there is no possibility of the vines being caught by the picker chain and returned back through the machine.

Other and further features of the present invention will in part be obvious and will in part be pointed out in the specification hereinafter following. It is to be understood that the disclosure herewith is illustrative of the preferred embodiment of the invention, but it is not to be considered in the limiting sense.

Fig. 1 is an elevational View showing a longitudinal section through they machine and illustrating the relation of the various element thereof.

Fig. 2 is a sectional elevation showing the stemming and peanut cleaning devices.

Fig. 3 is a plan view of the apron shown in Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a plan viewv of the bottom of the hopper shown in Fig. 2 and illustrating the slots for the stemmer saws.

Fig. 5 is an end plan view of one of the picker bars.

Fig. 6 is a plan view of the picker screen.

Fig. rl is an elevational view of the screen shown in Fis. 6.

Fig. 8 is a cross sectional view taken on line 8-8 of Fig. 1. v

Referring now to the drawings and more espe cially to Fig. 1, the machine is provided with a main frame 1 which carries the operating machinery and which preferably is mounted upon road wheels 2 for transportation. The machine comprises essentially three general groups of mechanisms, namely, the picker.' mechanism whereby the peanuts are pulled from the vines,

.the stemmer mechanism whereby the ground stems are pulled from the peanuts; anda third mechanism. which is incidental but nevertheless importantP is the cleaning mechanism whereby -the dirt is separated from the vines .and the nuts.

The picker mechanism is constructed in such manner as to provide a self-feed for the vines, and comprises agitator spring fingers 4` which are mounted in series on cross bars 5 that are 70 carried by angle bars 6 mounted on top frame sills 7, the whole comprising a spring table. The forward portion of the spring table comprises an upwardly inclined end 8 carrying two picker bars and also a curved sheet metal shield 9 to prevent the vines from getting over the spring table. The spring table isstationary except for the movement of the individual spring fingers as the vines pass under these fingers. This individual movement of the spring fingers tends to comb out the vines and to cause agitation which loosens up the vines and permits the peanuts to hang pendent therefrom.

The vines are drawn through beneath the spring table by means of a. series of picker bars 10. These picker bars extend transversely of the bed of the machine over a picker screen 11. The end of each picker bar comprises a link head 12 (see Fig. 5) which carries a supporting roller 14. The supporting rollers 14 of the picker bars 10 run inangle iron trackways 15 (Fig. 8) so that the weight of the picker bars and vines thereon is supported by the rollers 14 on the angle iron tracks. Sprocket chain links 16 connect the ends of adjacent picker bars into an endless chain, there being one chain on each side of the machine, and the picker bars extending between these chains like rungs of a ladder. Main sillsl'? support the angle iron trackways over the picker screen 11 and main sills 18 support return angle iron trackway's 19, so that both the upper and lower runs ont the picker sprocket chain is supported. 'The main sills 17 and 18 carry suitable castings at their ends in which bearings are provided for shafts 20 and 2l that carry sprocket wheels 22 and 24 upon which the picker bar sprocket chain 16 is carried and driven. Suitable idler wheels 25 and 26 are provided adjacent each end of the picker table to take up the slack in the sprocket chains and are adjustably mounted in suitable bearings for that purpose. Also suitable adjustment devices common in the art are provided for the bearings of shafts 20 and 21 whereby the sprocket chains may be tightened.

The top frame sills 'I carry guide boards 27 (Figs. 1 and 8) which extend longitudinally of the machine and guide the vines down onto the picker screen and to the upper run of the picker bars. The picker bars are each provided with upstanding picker pins 28 to engage the vines and drag the same forwardly beneath the spring table. 'I'he forward end of the top sills '7 are provided with metal aprons 29 which are upwardly and outwardly inclined and comprise an open trough or hopper to guide the vines onto the picker screen and the picker bars. It will be observed that the picker screen and the picker bars extend forwardly a substantial distance in front of the end of the spring table. This construction comprises an automatic self-feed for the machine in that vines piled upon on this extended portion are gradually pulled under the inclined end 8 of the spring table by the picker bars and the vines are combed out during their passage beneath the spring table in such manner that only the proper amount of vines are carried through the machine regardless of the amount of vines piled up on the forward apron end of the picker screen. This, therefore, constitutes an automatic feed for the machine.

'I'he picker screen 11 is attached at its edges to the main sills 17 and is supported at intervals by cross bars 30 which sustain the weight of the vines and support the screen during its work.

Referring more especially to Figs. 6 and 7, which illustrate the picker screen, this screen 11 comprises a sheet metal member having a curved front portion 31 which is perforated with relatively small holes considerably less in size than the size of a peanut in order to permit dust and dirt from the vines and the peanuts to sift through the screen at its forward portion 32 without any of the peanuts dropping through the screen. The small perforated area 32 of the screen extends from the front end of the screen substantially back to the beginning of the spring table. Where desired, this may comprise a separate perforated plate suitably joined to the remainder of the screen. From a zone beginning directly beneath the spring table and extending substantially the remainder of the length of the picker screen, the picker screen is perforated with diamond shaped openings 34 with the major axis of the diamonds extending lengthwise of the machine. These diamond shaped openings 34 are of suillcient size to permit the peanuts to drop through and hang pendent by ground stems attached to the vines, as the vines are agitated by being drawn under the spring fingers 4. The forward motion of the upper run of the picker chain over the screen, which in the direction of the arrow A, (Fig. 1,) drags the vines forward and the ground stems pull the pendent peanuts into the apex of the diamond shaped openings so that the peanuts are caught beneath the screen and the ground stem together with the vines are dragged forward `by the picker bars. This breaks the ground stems from the vines and permits the peanuts to fall from beneath the picker screen. The curved front end 31 and the terminal end 35 of the picker screen are preferably non-perforated and are cut away at 36 and 37 to provide space for the sprocket wheels 22 and 24 at the front and terminal end of the picker screen, respectively. At the terminal end of the machine, a pair of bracket arms 38 carry bearings in which the shaft 39 of the vine kicker 40 is adapted to rotate. This vine kicker 40 comprises a body 41, which carries spring fingers 42 and this kicker member is driven at a high rate of speed relative to the travel of the picker bars so that the vines coming from the terminal end of the picker table are picked up by the spring fingers 42 and kicked out of the machine so there is no tendency of these vines to follow the picker bars on their return travel.

A vibrating apron 44 extends forwardly beneath the picker screen and is inclined down- Wardly and rearwardly. The front end of this apron is mounted upon anti-frictionrollers 45 and the rear end is pivoted to the sides of the stemmer hopper 46. The forward end of the apron 44 extends beneath the beginning of the diamond shaped openings 34 in the picker screen 11, so that the peanuts which are pulled from the ground stems drop into the vibrating apron from beneath the picker screen in the area covered by this apron. From the remainder of the picker screen, peanuts drop directly into the stemmer hopper 46. This stemmer hopper comprises side members 4'1 and a metallicbottom plate 48 which is provided with slots 49 (Fig. 4) through which a series of stemmer saws 50, 51 and 52 extend. These series of stemmer saws are respectively mounted upon shafts 54, 55 and 56. The bottom plate 48 is inclined downwardly and forwardly so that peanuts falling on this plate travel toward the stemmer saws extending upward through the slots 49. The series of 110 stemmer saws 50 and 51 have their teeth inclined toward and rotate in a clockwise direction while the series of stemmer saws 52 have their teeth inclined toward and rotate in a counter-clockwise direction as is illustrated in 115 Fig. 1. This operation of the stemmer saws produces an agitation of the peanuts and affords facilities for the saws to effectively stem the peanuts. Both the back and the front ends of the stemmer hopper 46 are open and a fan 57 120 is mounted in a suitable casing 58 in such manner as to direct a blast of air through this open stemmer hopper in the direction of the arrows B. The stemmer hopper is supported upon swing arms 59 and 60 carried on the main sills 18 125 and is connected by pitman 61 with an eccentric 62 on the main drive shaft 64. As the main drive shaft rotates, the stemmer hopper 46 is vibrated backwardly and forwardly and swings on the arms 59 and 60 in an oscillating motion. 130 This same motion is transmitted to the apron 44 in such manner as to slide the front end of the apron over the anti-friction rolls 45 and to producean oscillatory movement to the terminal end of the apron in that the terminal end of 135 the apron raises and lowers slightly during each vibration due to the oscillatory movement of the stemmer hopper 46 because of the supporting arms 59 and 60. This motion bounces the peanuts along down the apron and also along 140 the parts of the stemmer hopper including the bottom plate.

A baille partition 65 (Figs. 1, 2 and 3) is provided in the upper part of the stemmer hopper 46 and extends downwardly and backwardly from 145 the exit end of the apron 44. This baille partition comprises a cross bar 66 secured to the sides 47 of the stemmer hopper which carries upwardly extending fingers 67 and downwardly extending fingers 68. Boards 69 extend forward from the 150 cross bar 66 and are'spaced to provide transverse openings 70. `Baule plates 71 extend forwardly and downwardly beneath the openings 'l0 in such manner as to receive the air blast from the fan 57 and direct the blast upwardly through the openings 70. A second cross bar 72 supported by the sides 47 of the stemmer hopper supports the terminal end of the boards 69 and carries terminal fingers 74. The peanuts coming from the apron 44 or dropping directly from the picker screen fall on the baffle partition 65 and because of the fingers 67, the openings 'l0 and bame plates 71, these peanuts are stirred up and agitated so that the air blast from the fan 57 has ample opportunity to blow out dust and dirt particles which may be carried by the peanuts to this stage of the operation. Where the peanuts are coming into the machine in substantial volume they may sift out over the terminal fingers 74 and be further agitated before dropping on the bottom plate 48 of the stemmer hopper. The majority of the peanuts, however, drop through the openings 70 and strike the downwardly extending fingers 68 to be further agitated and the dirt loosened therefrom. The forward end of the stemmer hopper carries a transverse trough 75 which is slightly inclined downwardly toward the side of the machine so' that the stemmed and cleaned peanuts falling in the trough are discharged from the side of the machine.` The terminal end of the stemmer hopper 46 is provided witha cross bar 76 which carries fingers 77 that extend over another transversely extending trough '18.which likewise is slightly downwardly inclined so as to discharge at the side of the machine. This terminal trough 78 catches light weight peanuts which otherwise might be blown from the stemmer hopper out into the vines.

' The drive connections for the machine are illustrated in dotted lines in Fig. 1, and comprise a main belt 80 which runs in the direction of the arrow C. A fan belt 8l extends from a pulley on the main shaft 64 to a pulley on the fan shaft. A cross belt 82 also extends from a pulley on the main shaft to a large pulley on the counter-shaft 84. A drive connection which may comprise a belt or a sprocket chain 85 extends from the counter-shaft 84 to a suitable pulley or a sprocket wheel on the shaft 21 which carries sprockets 24 that drive the picker chain. A drive chain 86 extends from a large sprocket on shaft 21 to a small sprocket on the kicker shaft 39 so that the kicker shaft 39 has a relatively rapid movement as compared to the movement of the picker bar chain. A stemmer drive chain 87 extends around a small sprocket on the counter-shaft 84, then under anv idler 88 and over a sprocket on shaft 54, beneath a second idler 89 over a sprocket on shaft 55 and then beneath a sprocket on shaft 56 and returns to the sprocket on the counter-shaft 84, thereby providing motion to the stemmer saw shafts as previously explained.

From the foregoing, it will be observed that the present device comprises a peanut picker in which the peanuts are automatically fed over the picker mechanism after the vines are once placed on the forward end of the machine and that during this period, loose dirt drops through the small perforated portion 32 of the picker screen 11, and falls from this screen to the groundbeneath the machine. The peanuts which are carried over the perforated portion of the picker screen are caught in the picker openings 34 and pulled from the vines. These peanuts drop into the stemmer hopper or upon the apron 44 and are jostled downwardly to the baille partition .65 where they are subjected to cleansing air blasts from the fan 57 and fall on the bottom plate 48 of the stemmer whereby the stems are pulledfrom the peanuts by the stemmer saws and finally the cleaned peanuts come into the discharge trough 75, from which they are discharged at the side of the machine ready for bagging. Light peanuts which are blown out through the back of the stemmer trough are caught in the terminal trough Y'78 and are discharged at the side of the machine also for bagging. 'Ihe vines which have been thoroughly agitated so that the dust and dirt falls therefrom, leave the end of the picker table and are taken away by the kicker 40 where they may be piled up as desired for stock food.

Having thusldescribed my invention, what I claim is:-

1. A peanut picker comprising a supporting screen, a stationary yspring table having the major portion thereof extending substantially parallel with said screen and with the forward end thereof inclined upwardly, spring picker fingers on the inclined portion of the spring table, side members adjacent said screen with the forward portion of said screen and side members extending beyond the spring table to comprise a feed table, sprocket chains at the sides of said screen, and picker bars secured to said sprocket chains and extending transversely of said screen to drag the under portion of a mass of vines on said feed table between said screen and said stationary spring table.

2. In a peanut picker, the combination of a stationary spring table, means to guide vines beneath said spring table, a screen comprising a supporting bed for the vines, said screen extending forward from said spring table to comprise a feed table, sprocket chains on each side of said screen, picker bars extending between said chains and transversely of said screen, the feed table portion of said screen comprising an area provided with small perforations to prevent peanuts from being caught therein and to permit separation of dirt from the Vines, the area of said screen beneath said spring table being provided with diamond shaped openings of suiiicient size to permit peanuts to drop through and hang pendent whereby said openings comprise picker openings.

3. In a peanut picker, a stemmer hopper comprising an inclined baiile board in the upper part of said stemmer hopper, said baiile board comprising a plurality of agitator fingers and separated strips to provide openings through said baiile board through which peanuts may drop, a cleaner fan adapted to direct a blast of air against said baffle board and through said' openings, and means beneath said openings to guide peanuts falling through" said openings forwardly in the direction of the blast of air from said cleaner fan, an inclined slotted bottom in said stemmer hopper, a plurality of series of stemmer saws extending upwardly through the slots in said bottom, means to drive one of said series of stemmer saws against the inclination of the slotted bottom, and means to drive the remainder of said series of stemmer saws in the direction of the inclination of the slotted bottom.

4. In a peanut picker, a stemmer hopper comprising an inclined baiile board in the upper part of said stemmer hopper, said baffle board comprising a plurality of agitator fingers and separated strips to provide openings through said baille board through which peanuts may drop, a cleaner fan adapted to direct a blast of air against said baiiie board and through said openings, and means beneath said openings to guide peanuts falling through said openings forwardly in the direction of the blast oi! air from said cleanerv fan, an inclined slotted bottom in said stemmer hopper, a peanut receiving trough at the rear upper end of said hopper, a peanut receiving trough at the front lower end of said hopper, a plurality of series of stemmer saws extending upwardly through the slots in said bottom, means to drive one of said series oi' stemmer saws so the effective portion of this series of saws moves away from the lower front end of the hopper, and means to drive the remainder of said series of stemmer saws in the direction-so that the effective portion of the saws move toward the lower front end of the hopper.

5. A peanut stemmer comprising in combination, a spring table, a picker screen beneath said spring table, means to drag peanut vines over said picker screen and beneath said spring table, a feed table in front of said spring table and associated with said means to comprise an automatic vine feed for said machine, a vine kicker comprising spring fingers mounted upon a rotatable body support, the ends of said spring fingers having a rotary path extending above said screen to lift the vines fromthe terminal end of said screen, said vine kicker being located beyond the terminal end of said picker screen, and means to rotate said kicker at a speed whereby the speed of the ends a feed table having small dirt openings therein. the remainder of said screen comprising a picker screen provided with large openings adapted to permit peanuts to fall through and be picked from the vines when the vines are dragged over said picker screen, means to drag vines over said screen, means to agitate the vines over the picker screen while they are being dragged through the machine, a vine kicker at the terminal end of said picker screen and comprising a rotatable body carrying a series of radially arranged kicker spring fingers, means to rotate said body to cause said iingers to engage the vines at the terminal end of said screen and remove the vines from said machine.

'7. In a peanut picker, the combination of a screen, comprising a vine support, the forward portion of said screen comprising a feed table having small dirt openings therein, the remainder of said screen comprising a picker screen provided with large openings adapted to permit peanuts to fall through and be picked from the vines when the vines are dragged over said picker screen,- means to drag vines over said screen, means to agitato the vines over the picker screen while they are being dragged through the machine, a cleaner fan, means comprising baiiies to direct the blast of air from said fan upwardly through the rear portion of said screen, a vine kicker at the terminal end of said picker screen and comprising a rotatable body carrying a series of radially arranged kicker spring fingers having a rotary path extending above said screen to lift the vines from the terminal end of the screen, and means to rotate said body to cause said fingers to engage the vines at the terminal end of said screen and remove the Vines from said machine.

THOMAS M. LILLISTON. 

